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Praying, Fellowshipping, Bible Study, Corporate worship, witnessing to the lost, helping the needy these
are all things that churches should be doing.but WHY do we do what we do?
We see the mission statement as a declaration of our core purpose. Mission defines your purposethe
purpose for which you were founded and why you exist.
We believe this statement serves as a guide for day-to-day operations and as the foundation for future
decision-making. This statement dictates the ministry's direction, formulates the ministry's function;
Focuses the ministry's future; provides a guideline for decision making; inspires ministry unity; shapes the
strategy; enhances ministry effectiveness; facilitates evaluation.
A vision statement is a declaration of where we are headed as we seek to fulfill our mission.
We want our vision to coincide with Jesus command. Any vision that does not conform to His vision for
the church is inadequate.
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(BEREAN FELLOWSHIP OF CHURCHES ARTICLES OF FAITH)
Oak Lake Berean Church is part of a Christ-centered, grace-oriented fellowship of churches committed to the
following doctrines:
1. BIBLEWe believe the Bible, consisting of both the Old and New Testament Scriptures in their entirety, is the only
divinely inspired, inerrant, objectively true, and authoritative written Word of God, and the only infallible rule of
faith and practice. The divine inspiration of Scripture extends to each word of the original manuscripts but not
to the various copies or translations of Scripture. The Bible should be interpreted literally, grammatically,
contextually, and historically. Gen. 1-3; Deut. 29:29; John 10:35; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; 2 Pet. 1:21; 1 Cor. 2:13.
2. GODWe believe in only one God, the Creator, who is infinite, personal, eternally existing in three persons, and who is
revealed to us in Scripture as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Gen. 1:1; Deut. 6:4; Isa. 43:10; 44:6; 45:22; Matt.
28:19; John 4:24; 5:26; Col. 1:16-19; 1 Cor. 8:4.
3. JESUS CHRIST
We believe that Jesus Christ is God the son who has neither beginning nor ending. He was conceived in the flesh
by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, and is fully God and fully man. Jesus died for our sins, was buried
and arose bodily on the third day. He ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of God the
Father as our only mediator, high priest, and advocate. Matt. 1:23-25; John 1:1; 14:3; Acts 4:12; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4,
20; Phil. 2:5-11; 1 Tim. 2:5-6; Heb. 4:14-16; 1 Pet. 2:22.
4. HOLY SPIRIT
We believe the Holy Spirit is God, the third person of the Trinity. He is a person, not a force. The Holy Spirits
ministries include convicting all people of sin; calling, regenerating, indwelling and baptizing believers into the
Body of Christ; setting them apart to a holy life; and teaching, keeping and empowering them day by day. The
Holy Spirit distributes spiritual gifts to each believer according to His will. God in His sovereignty still works in
miraculous ways. However, we understand that sign gifts have served their purpose and should not be
expected in the church today. John 3:5-8; Acts 1:8; 5:3-4; 16:7-14; 1 Cor. 2:9-12; 3:16; 12:3-13, 28-31; 13:8-11;
Gal. 5:16-25; Eph. 1:13-14; 5:18; Heb. 2:3-4.
5. HUMAN RACEWe believe that both man and woman were created in the image of God to enjoy a personal relationship with
Him. As a result of deliberate disobedience, they fell from their sinless state and they and all their descendants
became sinners. Consequently, they cannot save themselves and apart from the grace of God in Jesus Christ;
they are condemned to a place of eternal torment. Gen. 1:26-27; 2:7; Matt. 5:20-48; John 3:16-18, 36; Rom. 2:6-
16; 5:12-21; 6:23; 2 Thess. 1:6-9; Rev. 20:13-15.
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6. SALVATION
We believe we are saved solely by the grace of God through faith in Christ alone. This salvation was purchased
by the substitutionary death and shed blood of Jesus Christ for the sins of every person, and is offered to
everyone as a free gift. The person who has trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ, as Savior is eternally secure, and
can enjoy the assurance of salvation. We believe that at death believers enter eternal glory and that
unbelievers enter eternal torment. Acts 16:31; 20:20-21; Rom. 3:28; 10:9; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; John 1:12; 3:16; 10:28;
Eph. 2:8-9; Phil. 1:6.
7. SANCTIFICATION
We believe that every believer has been sanctified, set apart with a perfect standing before God. As believersyield themselves to the Holy Spirit, they will experience spiritual growth in holiness, but they will not experience
perfection in conduct. Future rewards are determined by a believers obedience to the Lord. Heb. 10:10; Phil.
3:12; Rom. 6:13-19; 1 Cor. 3:8.
8. CHURCH
We believe that Christ is the Head of the Church, which is His body. All who have trusted in Him as Savior are
members of this Body. Christians should commit themselves to worship, instruction, fellowship, stewardship,
and service in a local church. The church is responsible to represent Jesus Christ in the world through godly
living and evangelism. All believers are commanded to participate in two church ordinances, believers' baptism
by immersion, and the Lord's Supper. Matt. 26:26-29; 28:18-20; Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 1:22, 23; 2:19-22;
3:6-10; 4:11-13; 5:23-27; 1 Thess. 2:14; Heb. 10:25; 1 Pet. 2:9-10; 1 John 4:17.
9. SATANWe believe that Satan was created an angelic being. He became the author of sin, our adversary, and accuser,
and the great deceiver of the nations. He will finally be overcome by the Lord Jesus Christ and suffer eternal
punishment in the lake of fire. Gen. 3:1; Job 1:6-12; Matt. 4:3-11; John 8:44; 2 Cor. 4:4; 1 John 3:8; 5:19; Rev.
12:9- 10; 20:10.
10. FUTURE EVENTS
We believe, on a day known only by God the Father, Jesus will rapture His church to deliver it from the
judgments that God will pour upon the earth. After this terrible period, the Lord Jesus Christ will return in glory
to establish His Millennial Kingdom on the earth. This will be followed by the final judgment of the wicked in the
lake of fire and eternal bliss for God's children in a new heaven and a new earth. John 14:3; Acts 1:7, 11; Rom.
8:1; 1 Cor. 15:20, 23; 2 Cor. 5:10; Phil. 1:23; 1 Thess. 4:16-17; Rev. 11:15; 19:11-21:5.
The problem most churches face is not that they dont anything;
they do plenty.
The problem is that they often dont do the right things. What ARE
the right things?
We believe that proper church health is possible only when we
conform to Gods idea of what the Church IS and what the Church
Does.
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What the Church IS
What the Church is TO DO
One Purpose: Glorify God !
The great purpose of the church is to be to the praise of Gods glory and grace (Eph. 1:6, 12).
What does it mean for us to glorify God? We cannot add to His glory, for He is already perfectly
and infinitely glorious. Rather, for us to glorify God means for us to ascribe to Him the worthiness
due His name. When we give God glory we essentially are saying: He gets the credit. He is the
only One worthy to receive credit. Everything we do, we do it so He gets the glory.
How does the Church Glorify God ?
God has established certain objectives in order for the church to bring glory to Him.
The Church glorifies God by intensely pursuing His objectives for the church.
But we must know what they are and be committed to carrying them out.
So, what are they? God calls the church to Exalt Him, Edify the Body, and Evangelize the lost. To
fulfill these God-given objectives, the church must follow the mandate of our Lord.
There is ONE MANDATE: Make disciples !
All other commands (go, teach, win the lost, baptize, feed the hungry, etc.) are subordinate to
Jesus main command: Make Disciples ! What kind? His command is expanded in 2 Tim. 2:2,and Eph. 4:11-16.
Discipleship is the process in which a believer in Christ is becoming more like Christ increasing in
the knowledge of Christ and able to minister to others who will be able to do the same thing. The
process of discipleship involves a relationship where a spiritually minded person uses the Word
of God to teach reprove, correct and train a learner in Christ in order that he/she becomes
increasingly more like Christ.
Our churchs Mission and Vision Statements are stated to reflect the 3-fold purpose of the
Church, and the mandate of our Lord.
(How do we intend to carry out our mission?)
Rather than creating a to do list of programs or activities based on popular opinion, we must clearly
understand what Exaltation, Edification, and Evangelism is! (Appendices I, II, III). Based the Biblical
principles outlined in these documents, we have stated our objectives and goals from which we desire all
programs to flow.
While there is no technical definition in the scriptures,
we can come to somewhat of a definition based on
the Biblical word, and the Biblical pictures.
(See Appendix I, pg. 1, 2 for detailed statement)
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Strategic planning involves defining a mission, establishing goals and objectives in support of that mission,
and developing strategies to attain established goals and objectives.
We believe that setting our hearts and minds on God is the beginning of the strategic planning process.Without question, it is God's plan we want, not our own. Proverbs 19:21 says, "Many are the plans in a
man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."
Yet God obviously expects us to plan. He makes it clear that we are not to trust our own plans and
strategies and ignore the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is only after we seek the heart of God and His
direction that we can establish plans that are pleasing to Him and plans that will succeed. But, we can
only understand His heart as we determine to follow the principles in His Word related to His design for
the Church.
One of the questions many churches wrestle with is, Should a church try to plan future direction? James
4:14 says, Yet you do not know what your l ife will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears fora little while and then vanishes away. So why plan? The next verse goes on to say, Instead, you ought to
say, If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that. The real issue is not whether we should plan; it
is whether we will put Gods will first in our planning, always deferring to His wisdom and sovereignty.
We want Gods will above everything else. Were not just asking Him to bless whatever plan we devise
we want His wisdom. We want to move by His direction and in His timing. A good planning process keeps
us humble and constantly returns us to God for His perspective. While planning, we continually ask, Lord,
what is your direction in this area?
Strategic planning involves the following:
Step 1: Our Purpose: Why do we exist?
Step 2: Mission: Where our ministry going. (To exalt Godedify the body evangelize the lost)
Step 3: Values: Our core values that drive our ministrywhy do we do what we do? What is important to us?
Step 4: Vision: Our ministrys future direction. (To make disciplemakers .)
Step 5: Strategy: How we will fulfill our mission and vision
a. Where we are: Ministry Evaluation and Diagnosis
b. Where we want to go: Objectives based on Biblical Principles and Core values
c. How we want to get there: Goals and Implementation
Step 6: Our One Year Goals What now?
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We believe that how we accomplish our purpose is as important as the purpose itself. So, we focus on these core values as
essential to ministry. Core values are standards that greatly influence our attitude and character. They are deeply etched into
our lives. But these core values must be based on Biblical principles, Gods design for a healthy church. At Oak Lake Berean
Church we aspire by Gods grace to accomplish His mission for us, driven by certain treasured values:
The glory of God
Whatever we do and why we do what we do has to do with Gods glory. Its not about us its about bringing great
glory to Him who is worthy of our praise and service.
Clear vision
More than anything else, we want to do what God want us to do. Our agenda and decisions are shaped by seeking
and discovering Gods will collectively, not by convenience, tradition, or personal preference.
Prayer
We value the importance of humble, dependence upon God expressed through prayer. Apart from the power of Jesus
Christ working in and through us we can accomplish nothing of lasting spiritual value that magnifies Gods glorious
grace (John 15:5).
Centrality of the Word of God
We value the truth of God revealed through His written Word. Therefore we will carefully study, boldly proclaim and
patiently teach whatever Gods Word says. God has sovereignly ordained the preaching of His inspired word in the
power of the Holy Spirit as a primary means of grace whereby His church may grow and flourish toward spiritualmaturity. Therefore we will give ourselves humbly to the hearing of the exposition of the whole counsel of God. The
goal of such preaching is to communicate the clear meaning of texts, their harmony with the rest of Scripture, and
their relevant application to every facet of our lives. (II Tim. 3:16-4:4).
God-centered, Celebrative and Relevant Worship
We value God-centered worship, and will joyfully celebrate who God is and what He does through vibrant worship.
We value a worship style that is biblically-based, sensitive to the body, relevant to the people we want to reach and
done to the best of the participants ability. Consequently we strive to exalt Jesus Christ corporately in ways which
engage both the heart and the mind spirit and truth (John 4:24).
Reaching Spiritually Lost people
In the context of pursuing God, our comfort shall be surrendered to the urgent task of seeking the lost and inviting
them to accept salvation in Jesus Christ. We will consider each aspect of our individual and corporate church life with
the unbeliever in mind, and seek to maintain a global vision, reaching the lost both near and in other cultures.
Empowering people as ministers
Every believer is spiritually gifted by Gods Spirit. This means we will recognize gift-based ministry and leadership
styles that facilitate, mentor and equip rather than dictate. Therefore we will purposefully equip all the saints to
exercise their spiritual gift(s) (Ephesians 4:11-16).
Servant-Leaders
We value servant-minded shepherding among the people. For Gods people to thrive, He has prescribed the
shepherding ministry of a plurality of elders, accountable to Christ the Chief Shepherd, who exercise authority for the
building up of His church. We desire to faithfully pray for, train up, and set apart godly men whose maturity, example,
gifts, and calling mark them as Gods appointed servants for the care of His precious sheep. (I Peter 5:1-4; II
Corinthians 10:8)
Multiplication-designed discipleship of the believerGod intends for believers to undergo a life-long process of transformation which aims for being conformed to the
image of Jesus Christ. Part of that process involves investing our lives spiritually in others that they in turn might do
the same and so on and so on. Therefore we will intentionally develop means and methods whereby all who profess
to follow the Lord can progress from spiritual birth to spiritual maturity that reproduces itself in future generations of
believers (Romans 8:29; II Timothy 2:2).
Grace-oriented community throughout the fellowship
Love for one another characterized by biblical peacemaking and merciful burden-bearing uniquely designates a people
as devoted followers of Jesus Christ and keeps them connected to one another for vital ministry.
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In order to live out these core values, we have stated our objectives and goals,
based on Biblical principles outlined in Appendices I, II, and III.
Objectives are Broad statement of intent (what we want to accomplish) based on Biblical principles of Exaltation, Edification, andEvangelism. Goals are narrow statements of intent to carry out Objectives (specific, measurable, attainable, reasonable, and
time-specific). (Note: the goals listed below do NOT have dates at this point)
Biblical Principles Objectives Goals
Biblical Basis for objectives and
goals
Broad statement of intent(what we want to accomplish)
A Narrow statement of intent to
carry out Objectives
Worship is both quiet stillness before
God as well as joyful celebration
focused on the character and works
of God.(spirit and truth -John 4:24)
To facilitate God-centered vibrant worship,
joyfully celebrating and magnifying His character
and works in ways which engage both the heart
and the mind.
#1 Conduct a monthly worshipplanning team meeting at the church at
which time the work is reviewed, ideas
and observations are shared and
accountability is strengthened,
beginning_______
The redemption story is linked to
proper worship, and
only believers can truly worship.
To observe the Lords Supper as a public act of
worship, designed to promote soul-searching,
evaluation, and reflection on the Savior and what
He means to our life.
#2 Worship Planning Team Work inconjunction with the Pastor and church
leaders in planning communion by
evaluating on a monthly basis,
beginning _______
True worship must be linked to the
exposition of Biblical truth.(spirit and
truth -John 4:24)
To carefully study, boldly proclaim and patiently
teach whatever Gods Word says, humbly commit
to the hearing of the exposition of the whole
counsel of God, applying biblical truth to our
lives.
#3 Worship Planning team assist inplanning congregational worship
services in consultation with pastor and
leaders through monthly discussion
and evaluation beginning ______
Although unbelievers cannot trulyworship, they can watch believers
worship. (1 Cor. 14:25).
To strive to be guest-friendly and culturallyrelevant in consideration of those who are not
yet believers in Christ.
#4To explain to non-believers themessage of salvation through
testimonies, the spoken Word
Corporate worship must be orderly
1 Cor. 14:26, 33
To be Christ-honoring in excellence in all we do,
and done to the best of the participants ability.#5 Worship planning team work inconjunction with the leaders to oversee
musical selections, instrumentalists,
sound system, powerpoint, usher
assistance, greeters, offering, and all
areas related to the corporate worship
services.
Singing is to be from the heart,
directed upward to GodEph. 5
To carefully select songs that accurately reflect
and draw from the Word of God.
See # 1 above
1 Cor. 16:1-4- Giving is an act of
worship. (2 Cor. 8:5)Give must be to the Lord through the
local churchNOT to the church for
the Lord.)
To teach and practice the giving of our financial
resources is an act of worship.
See # 1
Apart from the power of Jesus Christ
working in and through us we can
accomplish nothing of lasting
spiritual value that magnifies Gods
glorious grace (John 15:5).
To saturate every dimension of our ministry
with prayer, petition, supplication, and
intercession, along with thanksgiving.
Conduct a quarterly day of prayer
beginning______
Conduct a monthly prayer night____
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Biblical Principles Objectives Goals
Biblical Basis for objectives and goals Broad statement of intent
(what we want to accomplish)
A Narrow statement of intent to carry
out Objectives
While evangelism focuses primarily
on reaching/winning,---edification
focuses on building up believers to
Christ-like maturity (Eph. 4:11-16).
To assimilate new believers into the life of the
local church, by helping them develop
meaningful relationships, experience Christ-like
growth, and become involved in ministry.
# 1Develop a follow-up plan for
connecting with Sunday attenders
#2Conduct a small group study on
disciplemaking (NavPress)
The early church regularly gathered
for corporate worship and
edification, not evangelism.
To gather regularly primarily for worship and
edification#3Establish a corporate worship
planning team to meet monthly to
plan both worship and corporate
edification
The Word of God must be faithfully
taught: inductively, exegetically, and
expositionally.(Ezra 6:14; Neh. 8:8; 2
Tim. 4:1-3) (Ezra 7:10; Acts 20:20;
Col. 1:28).
To carefully study, boldly proclaim and patiently
teach whatever Gods Word says, humbly commit
to the hearing of the exposition of the whole
counsel of God, applying biblical truth to our
lives.
#4Establish a 6 yr. plan to study
the entire Bible as a church
#5Continue mens and womens
bible study
#6Develop ministry to married
couples and familiesAll believers are ministers
(Eph. 4:11-17)
All believers are gifted
(1 Cor. 12)
Every believer a disciplemaker
(2 Tim2:2)
To provide discipleship experiences for believers
to exercise their spiritual gift(s)
To encourage believers to one-on-one
discipleship
# 7Develop a job description for
areas of leadership
#8Begin one on one discipleship
by leaders modeling the process
Biblical Leadership: some leaders
OVERSEE local church ministry (1
Thess. 5:12- ;1 Tim. 5:17, 1 Tim.
3;Titus. 1:9)
To pray for, train, and set apart godly men
whose maturity, example, gifts, and calling mark
them as strong, biblically qualified servant-
leaders.
#9Develop a plan to move fromcurrent leadership structure to
Elder oversight (see Leadership
notes)
Believers must be challenged to
encourage one another in the
practical areas of the Christian life.
(Heb. 10:24-25;
Rom. 15:1-3; 16:2; Titus 2:14; 3:1, 8,
14).
To provide opportunities for believers to share
with, and meet the needs of the ministry of the
church and others through words, deeds, and
gifts of love
#10 Plan opportunities for
interaction in small groups that
offer accountability and mutualcare
#11 Plan a monthly meal following
morning service
#12Develop a plan tocommunicate pressing needs
among people in the body, and
ways of caring for one another
Giving (Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 16:1-2; 2
Cor. 8-9; Gal. 6:7; 1 John 3:16-17).
To practice the principles of grace giving, eternal
priorities, and sacrificially meeting the needs of
the ministry.
#13 Teach believers biblical
principles of stewardship
#14 Communicate financial needs
in a positive manner
Church discipline is vital for thepurity, power, progress of the
church.(Matt. 18:15-20; Gal. 6:1-4).
Follow Biblical principles of discipline andrestoration for those in the body who are walking
contrary to..
#15 Develop a biblically basedprocess for restorative discipline
(see bylaws)
Confession (1 Cor. 11:28)
Adoration (Eph. 3:20).
Intercession and Petition
(Eph. 6:18-ff).
To practice and encourage effectual prayer for
others, for oneself and family, for the nation and
its leaders, and for the ministry.
#16See goal on Evangelism forprayer
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Biblical Principles Objectives Goals
Biblical Basis for objectives and
goals
Broad statement of intent(what we want to accomplish)
A Narrow statement of intent to
carry out Objectives
Our Lords command is to make
disciples, not win converts.
But, before people can be disciples,they must become one.
Develop within the body of Christ awareness
and heart for reaching/winning people to
Christ.
Focus on conversion growth, which is growth by
gaining new believers rather than people who
simply come from another church.
Immediately and consistently nurture those who
accept Christ.
#1 Develop a list of non-Christians topray for (individually, corporately)
#2 Ask individual church members to
share testimonies of their experiencesof sharing the gospel
#3 Encourage building relationshipswith non-believers
#4 Conduct a meeting with Sonlifeleaders to develop clear goals for
Youth ministry
#5 Provide small group study materials
for mentoring for new believers like
Navigators Real Life Discipleship
Training Manual
The early church evangelized
corporately and individually
(Rom. 10:17; Lk. 10:2)
Plan corporate evangelistic events/ activities
designed primarily to present the gospel to
unsaved people.
Train believers how to personally lead people
to Christ (both formal and informal training)
#6 Conduct an evangelistic event every
quarter
#7 Conduct a You Can Tell It!
Evangelism seminar
Series By Evantell
Christians are called to live the Word
before unbelievers. (Titus 3:1, 8, 14;
Matt. 22:39; Luke 10:33; John 4:4f;
Gal. 6:10 )
Create frequent opportunities for people to
invite their unbelieving friends to events that
provide a natural link in the process of
evangelism.
(pre-evangelism)
Encourage and teach believers to build bridges
and develop relationships with the lost.
#8 Plan an event once a quarter
specifically to just build relationships
with non-believers
World Evangelization is Christs
command
Maintain a healthy balance of supporting local,
national, and global evangelismthrough giving,prayer, and participation.
#9 Develop a missions prayer and infosheet insert for bulletin
#10 Include a missions moment
once a month on Sunday morning to
focus on one of the missions
organizations and missionaries we
support
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Oak Lake Berean Church is affiliated with the Berean Fellowship of Churches. The Fellowship is committed
to a vision of Planting Churches, Making Disciples, and Reaching the World. (Link to Berean Fellowship
of Churches here:http://www.bfcnetwork.org/home
Brief History of the Berean Fellowship of Churches
On Sunday, August 21, 1932, thirteen people gathered in a North Platte, Nebraska, home. They came
not to start a movement that would have a worldwide impact but to pray together and hear teaching
from the Bible. God caused the group to grow as many people in the community placed their faith in
Jesus Christ.
Initially known as the Church of the Open Bible, in 1935 the fledgling congregation found a more
fitting name as The Berean Fundamental Church. Though the word fundamental has since lost
favor in our culture, to those founding families it had a wonderfully simple depth of meaning: their
church was based on the fundamentals of the Christian faith.
The name comes from the Bible. In the Acts of the Apostles is the historical account of a group of
people from the ancient Roman city of Berea. According to the Bible, these (Bereans) were more
noble-minded than those of Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining
the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so (Acts 17:11).
From this simple beginning God sparked a movement that, within a few years, would grow from town
to town across Nebraska and into surrounding states. Today, the Berean Fellowship comprises 60
churches in 8 states across the Midwest, Northern California and Southern Oregon, as well as Canada.
The Berean Fellowship was built upon a solid biblical foundation and has always placed special
emphasis on the authority of Scripture, the supremacy of Jesus Christ, and the importance of
advancing the gospel through personal relationships, church planting, and world missions.
Berean churches are organized in Districts. Berean pastors meet regularly as districts for fellowship,
encouragement, and prayer.
History of Oak Lake Berean Church
The Oak Lake Berean Church was begun 25 years ago by a Berean Fellowship pastor, Eugene Enns.
Gifted in evangelism, he and his wife Marsha were used of the Lord to plant and establish the church.
The church grew in number, and several ministries were begun that have impacted the lives of many in
this area. Sonlife Youth Camp and Kids Club ministry.In August of 1999 Eugene Enns left the church to become the director of Grace Mission.
A man who was saved under Pastor Eugenes ministry grew and became one of the church board
members. Eventually he was appointed as pastor, and served until 2010.
Religious background of church members: Baptist, Mennonite, Christian and Missionary Alliance,
Catholic, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, United, non-churched. We are not a blend of all these, but are the
types of religious backgrounds from which our members have come.
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Occupational composition of church members: agricultural, trucking, healthcare, university, construction,
excavation, retired, sales and services.
Pastors
Eugene and Marsha Enns 1986-1999
Bryce Buckley 1999-2010
Interim: Gordon Simms Aug. 2011 to Jan. 2013
Ages and Gender: Sunday morning attendance is a mix of all ages (except teens)
Finances: No debt with reserve building fund
Facilities:
Sanctuary seats 80
Media: Excellent sound system and video projection
Lobby, Fellowship Hall, kitchen,educational room, office, nursery
Summer Bible Camp Facilities 16 Passenger Van, 66 Passenger bus
Building is a remodeled service station, with several additional facility updates since 1991.
Primary Ministries:
Sunday Worship: 11:00 AM
Kids club- Monday afternoons (school year)-avg. 10 children currently
SonlifeYouth (teen)on Friday nights 10-20 teens
Mens and Womens bible study (8-10 men) 5- 10 women
Summer Youth Bible Camp is an important ministry involving many teens and workers who also
come from Berean churches in the States.
Prayer night once a month
Leaders meet every Sunday (and as necessary) for study, discussion, planning, and prayer.
Format of Morning Worship
People come and fellowship from 10-11 AM
Service from 11 AM- 12:45 PM and fellowship till around till 1:00- 1:30 PM
Includes time for welcoming visitors
Music is country, contemporary worship, and a blend of hymns and praise songs.
Observance of the Lords supper generally on first Sunday of every month
Prayer and sharing time Potluck once a month
MISSIONS support
Grace Mission, New Tribes Mission, AIM, Gospel for Asia, Regina Rescue Mission, Radio Bible Class
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Church crisis and renewal
Over the past 10 years the church became ingrown. Seeds of discord grew over philosophy of ministry. Three
years ago it reached crisis stage. The pastor and several families withdrew from the church. Though they do not
want to be considered a home church, the pastor meets on Sundays in his home with a few families. Following the
split, the Berean leadership sought to bring resolution to the conflict by meeting with the dissenting pastor and
families. Attempts have been made to reconcile by the church leadership and the Berean District leadership with
the dissenting people, but both former pastor and several people have refused. Oak Lake Berean is currently
considered on mission status and thus under the leadership of the Berean Fellowship of Churches. The official
church board was dissolved and the Berean District leadership functions as the Official Board. A group of 4 men in
the church function as a temporary leadership team until an official board is established.
In the year following the split, the church continued to meet, with assistance from Berean leadership. Pulpit
ministry was primarily biblical teaching through DVD sermons from the Lincoln Berean Church.
Transitional Process
In August of 2011, the church called Gordon Simms, an interim pastor who is a member ofInterim Pastor
Ministries. He has led the church through a transitional time of healing, evaluation, refocusing, and planning for
future ministry. (See Appendix IV, Transitional Tasks)
The SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) is a tool to help match internal organizational strengths with
external opportunities to meet the needs of your constituents and community best. Think of the SWOT as a filtering tool to
assess your current strategic position. A good understanding of your strengths and weaknesses, your opportunities, and the
external threats is essential to the assessment.
A committed core of growing biblically qualified leaders
Current leaders want to grow and follow Biblical principles Good givers
Missions support
Camp Ministry
A welcoming and accepting atmosphere
Commitment to reaching youth, children through teens
A growing positive reputation in the community
A positive transitional time, setting the foundation for a healthy growing church
Foundation set for effective growth
Desire to be involved in mens and womens Bible study
involvement of people
small core of leaders overworked
informality vs. formality (structured vs. non-structured) tends toward informal and non-structured
Communication
The limited number of people
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OAK LAKE, Manitoba, Canada
Oak Lake, Manitoba is a town in the south-western region of Manitoba, Canada with a population of 360 people. It
is located 52 km (32 mi) west of Brandon along the Trans-Canada Highway. The town is located within the northern
part of the Rural Municipality of Sifton, while the lake after which it was named is just west of the town.During the late 19th century, the area around Oak Lake was a popular stopping point for fur traders and settlers
due to the large number of big oak trees (revered for their strength) located around the lake that could be used to
repair their wagons.
Demographics
Oak Lake's population is mostly white, with few visible minorities other than a small aboriginal population. The
nearby Sioux Valley Dakota Nation and Canupawakpa Dakota Nation are homes to a large community of First
Nations people.
Economy
The economy of the Oak Lake area is dominated by farming, although nearby Virden has a booming oil economy.The municipality and town share an office and employ a handful of people to manage the running of public
services. Other employers include the town's gas station, Valleyview CO-OP grocery store, Hutton Excavation,
Family Dining restaurant, Lewis Cattle Oilers Ltd., Kreutzer Garage, and several personal businesses. Other locations
for shopping are Virden, 15 minutes away, Brandon, 30 minutes away, and Winnipeg and Minot, ND each 2 hours
away.
Aside from agriculture, another significant economic resource in Oak Lake is tourism and recreation. The lake itself,
located approximately 15km (10 Miles) from town. Fisherman, water skiers, boaters will find a great place to enjoy
their hobbies and interests. In the Early 1800's several trading posts were located in this area. A favorite stopping
place for the freight carts and the settlers was the trading post on the shore of Oak Lake, where Oak Trees were
readily available for repairs to the wagons.
Whereas the doctrinal statement focuses on what we believe, our philosophy of ministry focuses on how
we approach ministry.
(Weve outlined our perspectives on What the Church is and is to do, in Appendices I, II, III )
How does a church structure for effective ministry ?....
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Since Oak Lake is currently considered a Mission Church, thepreliminary official board (POB)of a mission church
will consist of at least three individuals from the membership of the District Council of the Berean Fundamental
Church Council in which it is associated. The POB will provide spiritual leadership and conduct the business affairs
of the church. All other organizations and committees of the church are accountable to this board.A committee consisting of the pastor as chairman and at least two male church members will conduct all routine
business of the local church and be accountable to the preliminary official board.
Three Pastors from the 3 Rivers district are currently in place as the POB. This does not mean they micro-
manage things. They simply need to be notified of business related issues so they can render the needed decisions.
The Oak Lake Official board is not yet established. The new Pastor and will be part of organizing the local board.
(See Appendix V: Bylaws)
GENERAL ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
The local church body is composed of one body with many members all of whom are in vital relationship
with Jesus Christ, but the body also has "joints of supply," units of control, and unity, i.e., church leaders (Eph.
4:16). This together suggests body participation under the headship of the Lord Jesus Christ with leadership
direction, submission and an authority in a two-directional manner.
First, the local government is invested in the body of believers who compose the local body under the
headship of Jesus Christ according to the Word of God and the ministry of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 18:20; Eph. 1:22-
23; 4:16; 5:21; Col. 1:18; 2:19).
Second, executive authority or leadership, however, is invested by the congregation, as authorized by
Scripture, in a Board of Elders who lead the church and to whom the congregation is to submit under the headship
of Christ. These men have the authority and responsibility to delegate to individuals, committees or other boards
(as a Board of Deacons) authority and responsibility to carry out the business or ministry of the church in spiritual
and physical (material) matters (Acts 20:28; 15:6; Eph. 4:11-12; Phil. 1:1; 1 Thess. 5:12-13; Heb. 13:7, 17).In using its delegated authority, and in making its decisions, the Board of Elders must seek to be guided by
the Scripture, the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and by input from the congregation (Acts 20:32; 6:2-5a; 11:22; 15:22;
2 Cor. 8:19).
Principles of Organization1
1. Organize to Apply New Testament Principles and to Accomplish New Testament Purposes: Organization
must never become an end in itself. We must seek to develop structures for the church which will help us
accomplish New Testament purposes and objectives. When an organizational form ceases or fails to do
that, it needs to be abandoned.
2. Organize to Meet Needs According to Biblical Standards: We must never organize to organize. The New
Testament church organized only when a need arose and only as long as the need existed.
3. Keep Organization Simple: This follows the former. Organization must be functional to accomplish biblical
purposes, goals, etc., and to meet needs. A good test: is the structure serving the goals or has it become an
end in itself? Is it serving or is it being served?
4. Keep Organization Flexible: Biblical leaders were never locked into organizational structures.
1Gene Getz, Sharpening the Focus of the Church, Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois, 1974, p. 155f.
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I. Pastor Position defined:
The primary role of the Pastor of Oak Lake Berean Church shall be to provide, in partnership with the elders of
the Church, pastoral leadership, in order to equip the saints through loving, caring nurture and discipleship,
seeking to bring each believer to maturity in Christ.
2. Requirements:
A. Doctrinal Stability
B. Godly personal character (as specified in 1, 2 Timothy and Titus)
C. Pastors beliefs are consistent with the Constitution and By-Laws of the Church
D. Willing to affirm Berean Church Covenant
E. Philosophy of Ministry compatible with the Churchs Mission, vision, objectives and goals
3. Focus of ministry:
Pastoral leadership to help the church implement the Objectives and Goals of their strategic plan
A. Give pastoral leadership to the church
B. Provide training and guidance to the church leadership
C. Provide general encouragement based on clear biblical teaching
D. Work with the leaders and body to help deal with matters that affect future health and progress
E. Foster healthy interpersonal communication, and help oversee efficient management of the churchs
resources.
F. Facilitate spiritual and numerical growth by encouraging Gods people to love and serve God to His glory
Many churches bring on a pastor to develop a vision (his vision) for the church. While we are open to our new
pastors gifts and vision and input, we are not seeking a pastor who will develop his vision for our church. Ourchurch has a clear mission and vision, and we desire a pastor who will come and lead us in carrying these out.
We are seeking a pastor who will lead us as a team player in carrying out our mission and vision, and
objectives.
4. The job description is based on the following principles:
Our church recognizes that though every member is a minister, God has given to the church those who are
gifted to serve as pastor/teachers whose role is to equip believers for the work of ministry (Ephesians 4:11-
16). It is thus clear that church leaders are equippers whose agenda (priorities, allotment of time, and
duties) are to be ordered by the Word of God, not by the agenda of people following their cultural
expectations set by the traditions of men. We recognize the importance for the pastor to train the body ofsaints in the basics of the Word and delegate various aspects of ministry to other members of the body
according to their gifts and the Lords leading in each believers life.
The Pastor along with the church leadership team is responsible for the direction, thrust, and ministry of the
total church, including its priorities and spiritual vitality. As a leadership team, they should develop policy and
direction of ministry that is owned by the body of believers. From a biblical standpoint, teamworkmeans
sharing in the biblical responsibilities based on biblical goals, values, priorities, giftedness, training, and Gods
leading. The pastor, as leader among leaders, should build spiritual maturity in the leadership. We intend our
pastor to work through others by delegating both responsibility and authority to serve.
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5. Responsibilities
A. Teaching/Preaching Ministry
The Sr. Pastor at Oak Lake Berean Church is the primary Bible teacher. The Pastor will also be responsible
to work together with the leaders in giving direction to the Churchs other teaching ministries, and give
focus to the teaching efforts. In summary, the pastor shall be responsible to lead by teaching, clarifying,
training, educating, and protecting the fellowship in matters of Biblical teaching and interpretation.
B. The Churchs Meetings
The Pastor shall be responsible for the general oversight and leadership of the worship services, and otherspecial services and events. At his discretion, he may appoint others to oversee any area of Church services.
He shall give direction and guidance to those who may help him in this responsibility. He will foster a
plurality of leadership mentality, and encourage every believer to use their God-given gifts for the profit of
the whole body.
C. Shepherding
The Pastor shall be involved in the shepherding of the Church. His duties shall include the caring for, and
shepherding of, its members. This is not necessarily limited to a visitation ministry, neither does it exclude
it. This is primarily the spiritual care, and spiritual nurturing, that the members of the body need to grow in
their walk with God. Any counseling ministry shall not be to the detriment of the primary responsibility of
the preaching and teaching ministry of the Word. The Pastor must affirm the importance of shepherding
nurture and care spiritually, emotionally, and physically of the members of the assembly and shall helpshoulder that responsibility, and train others to do so.
D. Ministry Leadership and Oversight
The Pastor, as a leader among leaders, shall contribute to carrying out the Churchs Mission and Vision.
In partnership with the leaders the pastor shall look to God for the particulars of how to implement the
direction and goals of the Church.
E. Public Relations
As the Pastoral position is generally considered to be in the forefront and is the most recognizable of all
personnel positions at the Church, he shall be the one who normally interacts with the community at large,
i.e. the official church spokesman.
F. Additional Responsibilities
Shall be determined by the leaders in conjunction with the Pastor.
6. Accountability
The pastor will minister in cooperation with the Church board (elders), and they will be mutually
accountable to one another.
7. Termination (see bylaws)
8. Pastors Covenant
As a pastor of a Berean Fundamental Church, I will strive to exercise the duties of my office in such a way as to have a
clear conscience before God and man. Being in a position of spiritual leadership, I will prayerfully seek to maintain the
qualifications as given in I Timothy 3. I will strive to lead the flock of God in a balanced ministry of shepherding, teaching
and evangelizing. I will maintain a wholesome relationship with the Berean Fellowship of Churches and keep the local
church informed of its activities. Furthermore, I will seek above all things to promote the unity of the Spirit, being ready
always for suggestions when given for the glory of God and the furtherance of His work. I will seek to be sensitive to Gods
leading to know when my present ministry is completed and will graciously resign. If at any time I am unwilling to submit
to the authority of the official board or the Berean Fundamental Church Constitution, I want the official board to call it to
my attention. If I fail to be reconciled, I will resign immediately, and will quickly and quietly leave the field, causing no
trouble which would damage the church.